GORDON HAYTER PROCTOR
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Service No: 60769
Date of Death: 03/10/1944
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
45 Sqdn.
Panel Reference Column 431.
Memorial SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Proctor, of Fetcham, Surrey.He has no known grave.
He was a pre-war RAF Volunteer Reservist. Following training, some of which was at Gatwick, he served on 1402 Meteorological Flight from December 1941 to January 1943.
In September 1942, when serving with 1402 Met Flight at RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland, Flt Lt Gordon Hayter had to abandon his Supermarine Spitfire R6992 during a Meteorology sortie following instrument failures. He baled out at 16,000 feet and landed safely near Crilly in Co.Tyrone.
His Spitfire crashed in a field on the other side of the Border, near Figullar in Co. Monagahan.
As detailed below this has event been extensively researched by aviation and local historians in Ireland.
His further postings were to the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire; 12 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit (12(P) AFU) at RAF Spitalgate near Grantham, Lincolnshire; 60 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF High Ercall, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
In June 1943, just before he moved on from the A&AEE, he was Mentioned in Despatches.
In early 1944 he was posted to RAF Lyneham and 301 Ferry Training Unit, ferrying twin engined Mosquito aircraft to the Middle East.
In March 1944 he was transferred to RAF South East Asia Command and 308 Maintenance Unit and 21 Ferry Control.
On 14 August 1944 he joined No.45 Squadron, then based at Dalbhumgararh in India flying Mosquitos. They moved to Ranchi in Burma [present day Mayanmar] on 27 August and on 22 September to Kumbhirgram in Assam. 45 Squadron had been converting from the American Vultee Vengeance dive bomber to the De Havilland Mosquito VI Strike (fighter bomber).
His Navigator was Sgt George William Bargh, son of Harry and Mary Lizzie Bargh of Church Warsop, Nottinghamshire:
The Squadron began Mosquito operations on 1st October 1944.
Gordon's first - and last - op was two days later on 3rd October, in Mosquito HP936.
The Operational Record Book states:
Offensive recce MEKTILA and KANGDAUNG* A/Fs.IRRAWADDY crossed at PP.2075 and course set for target. Target not seen, cloud 10/10ths. A/F most probably THABUTKON covered deck level 16.18 hours. Definitealy [sic] no A/C in Northern dispersals, nothing believed in others. No movement seen, Pens appeared overgrown. Steam roller southern end, steam up. Railway pin pointed YWAPALE LL.5237 (station name seen) course set for target area again but heavy rail [sic] encountered and nothing seen except possible 1 A7C Pen.
As aircraft HP.936 had been airborne 30 minutes before the leader, course was set for base. This A/C was last seen at position PP.8030 16.39 hours on Course 300˚, 50 feet, and is still missing.
No attacks were made, bombs and ammunition were brought back.
* Kanguang?, to the east of Meiktila town. Their route back would have been over the Arakan Mountains and the still Japanese occupied plains.
The loss of this aircraft is recorded on the aviation-safety.net website
Gordon was aged 30 and George 23 when they died.
His life
Gordon Proctor was born in Streatham on 7 December 1914. He was a Bank Clerk.
His father was Frank Bloomfield Proctor, born 13 October 1876 in Fulham, London. He was a son of Frederick Proctor (1837-1907), a Carpenter from Wymondham, Norfolk, and Martha Kett (1842-1886) from Wicklewood, Norfolk. Frank had served in WW1 in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was a Traveller and later a Master Draper.
His mother was Fanny Elizabeth Reed from Camberwell, Surrey, born 6 August 1873. She was a daughter of Hayter John Reed (1832-1898), a Carpenter from Billingshurst, Sussex, and Millicent Maria Dowlman (1835-1884) from Boston, Lincolnshire.
They were married at St James Church, Clapham, on 25 July 1903.
Gordon's siblings were Stanley Bloomfield born 29 August 1904 and Vera Amelia born 15 August 1912.
He was single when he died.
He lived at:
1917 Father's Record of Service,
1938 Electoral Register: 94 Ellison Road, Streatham Common, London SW16
1939 Electoral Register: 32 Bradford Drive, Ewell, Epsom Surrey lodging
with Edna Spencer Gale & Annie Elizabeth Gale
1939 England & Wales Register: 13 Sunmead Close, Fetcham,
Leatherhead, Surrey: back with his parents: Bank Clerk, RAF Reservist
After the war
His father was still living at Lilyville 13 Sunmead Close, Fetcham when he died in a Guildford nursing home on 5 February 1958. His mother died in Hoylake, Liverpool, Lancashire, on 17 April 1963.His brother and sister both died in 2003.
from the Leatherhead Advertiser, May 3 2012
Looking for pilot Proctor
I am attempting to trace any family or friends of a wartime RAF pilot
named Gordon Hayter Proctor who came from Fetcham. His parents were Fanny
Eliza and Frank B Proctor. He had a brother and sister named Stanley and
Vera Redmond, who both passed away in 2003.
Gordon was forced to abandon [his] Spitfire, over Ireland in 1942. The
aircraft crashed but he landed safely. He obtained membership of the
Caterpillar Club for his successful bail-out.
Sadly, he was lost in an October 1944 recon flight in a Mosquito fighter
bomber with 45 Squadron. He and his navigator failed to return from a
mission. Their names are commemorated on the Singapore memorial. His name
is also on the Leatherhead war memorial. Gordon was 30.
I would love to hear from any one who might have know Gordon or his family
and if there might be a photo of him still in existence. I am creating
online memorials for airmen such as Gordon to commemorate their service to
their nations.
Dennis Burke
Tubbercurry
Co. Sligo
Ireland
According to Dennis's website In May 2017, a joint group from Queens University Belfast and Monaghan County Museum accompanied by researcher Jonny McNee carried out a licensed and approved dig on the site and in the process recovered some remains of the Spitfire, including a corroded cockpit door and a section of engine crankcase with attached pistons.
The day's dig can be seen covered on the local Emyvale community website. The recovered parts are displayed at the County Museum from 2018 following their cleaning and conservation.
The story attracted media attention:
itv news 28 June 2018: British WW2 Pilot's family visit scene of Spitfire crash in Ireland
Sarah Tysoe's unbelievable discovery regarding her late uncle Flight Lieutenant Gordon Hayter Proctor
Irish Times: Spitfire that crash-landed in Co Monaghan put on display
Wartime NI: Spitfire R6992 Figullar, Co, Monaghan
The Bank remembers Gordon
Gordon Hayter Proctor joined the staff of Westminster Bank in July 1935, and from August 1937 worked at the bank's London Streatham Hill branch.
At the beginning of the Second World War he left the bank to go on active service in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He became a member of the Caterpillar Club in September 1942, when he was forced to bail [sic] out of his Spitfire over Northern Ireland. He was later posted to the Far East. Flight Lieutenant Proctor was killed on air operations over Burma on 3 October 1944. He was 29 years old.
Gordon Proctor is commemorated on a bank war memorial at the NatWest Streatham branch.
George Bargh is also commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.
Gordon Proctor is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
National Westminster Bank, Streatham Branch
Links
Belligerent Aircraft Landings in Ireland 1939 - 1945the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him and of any recollections within his family.with thanks to Dennis Burke: last updated 9 May 2012: 12 Dec 20